Michael Carrick has been appointed interim manager of Manchester United for the second time following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, the club confirmed. The 44-year-old former midfielder previously took temporary charge in November 2021 after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking, and he quickly made his presence felt by reversing key decisions.
During his first stint, Carrick ended the exile of defender Phil Jones, who had not played for the club since January 2020 due to injury and fell out of favour under Solskjaer. Carrick included Jones in the squad for a Champions League win over Villarreal in Spain, despite Jones being ineligible to play, and later named him on the bench for a Premier League match against Chelsea.
Carrick also showed he was not afraid to drop star players, relegating Bruno Fernandes to the bench for the same Champions League fixture. Conversely, he gave only one substitute appearance to Juan Mata, a close friend from their playing days, indicating a willingness to make tough calls irrespective of personal relationships.
The move to reintegrate Jones suggests current fringe players may get more opportunities under Carrick. Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, linked with a January exit, could see increased game time, while Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Barcelona, might have a future at Old Trafford under Carrick.
Carrick’s first match in charge will be the Manchester derby against City this Saturday. United are now focused solely on the Premier League after being eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup earlier this season.
